


Greatest Showman AU

by Phandom_Puppet



Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders
Genre: Brief Alcohol Mention, M/M, alcohol tw, brief bullying mention, bullying tw, description of fire, fire tw, mention of fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:02:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21962536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phandom_Puppet/pseuds/Phandom_Puppet
Relationships: Royality - Relationship, patton x roman
Kudos: 6





	Greatest Showman AU

"We have a deal then?"  
Said Logan Barnum, and Roman gave a quick nod and shook his hand.  
The gentlemen took their respective glasses off the countertop, and took one last swig of whiskey before heading out.  
The first thought in Roman's head as they approached the circus, is that this didn't seem like much of a circus at all. The building seemed nice enough, but looked a bit run down if nothing else. Still, he would give it a chance.   
He followed Logan inside the double doors and before long was greeted by a grand room where a number of people practiced their respective acts. Roman was then greeted by something else, a young man flying through the air, suspended by rope and ribbons. The young man was centered in front of Roman and swung forward to face him directly briefly. He had short wavy hair that was sky blue and had sparkling eyes to match. He then twirled gracefully to lower himself to the ground.  
"Afternoon, Mr. Barnum."  
"Patton." Logan nodded his head in acknowledgment.  
"This is Roman Carlyle, I brought him here to show him what it's like here if he were to work for us. Roman, this is Patton Wheeler, he is our trapeze artist and aerial dancer."  
Patton extended his hand and smiled, he had an array of freckles on his face and the corners of his eyes crinkled slightly when he grinned and they shook hands.  
"Nice to meet you, Roman, I hope you like it here."  
"You too, thank you."  
And with that, the head of powder blue curls was off, going to the other side of the building back stage, and Logan gestured for him to follow as he was shown around the rest of the circus.  
The weekend was quickly approaching, there was a show tonight, both Logan and Roman eagerly anticipated the performance. Roman had spent a majority of his time at the circus in the coming weeks keeping his side eye on Patton whenever the boy in blue practiced. He was approached by said young man that evening, after the show, after most everyone had departed.  
"See something you like?"  
Roman blushed at the voice coming from some feet away.  
"Oh, I apologize, I was only--"  
"I'm teasing, it's okay to watch, it's pretty crazy isn't it?"  
"You certainly are one to behold when you there."  
This time, it was Patton's turn to blush, his freckles growing a tone darker.  
"Do you want to try it?"  
"I'm sorry?"  
"Come up there with me."  
"Oh, but Patton, I can't do that like you can."  
"I'll teach you."  
"What if I fall?"  
"I won't let that happen."  
Roman was still slightly hesitant, but nodded anyway, and Patton took his hand.  
Roman followed along as Patton stood in the stirrups of silk, albeit a tad clumsier, but successful enough.   
"Now just climb a bit higher, and then you'll wrap your wrists inside, that way you're suspended from either limbs."  
So he did just that.  
"Do you want to do any tricks?"  
Patton asked while holding on with his hands above and below him so it looked like he was flying.  
"Oh, I'm not sure, I think I'm doing just fine right about here."  
Roman replied while a couple yards off the ground.  
"Just a bit?"  
"Patton, it's quite high, I'm afraid I could fall."  
"I told you I won't let you go."  
Roman knew he could trust him with about anything just then.  
"Okay, I believe you."  
He said while extending a hand.  
Patton practically grinned from one ear to the other at that.  
The two of them climbed their respective ropes and silks for several more feet, before Roman dared a chance to look at the ground below, and regretted it almost instantly.  
"Roman? Hey, you're okay, you're safe up here I promise. Can you look at me?"  
Despite the slight ring in his ears because of fear, Patton's voice came through clear, but he didn't dare move.  
"Hey, it's okay, I have you."  
When Patton spoke and took hold of his hand at that, Roman finally looked up, and into the other's sparkling blue eyes.  
He nodded as if asking permission, and Roman nodded back, so Patton brought the other closer, and they both swayed.  
"Don't be scared, you're safe up here, it can be really fun when you're used to it."  
They swayed a bit more before Patton spoke.  
"Do you trust me?"  
"With anything."  
They started swaying suddenly faster, Roman curious and fearful, but he didn't stop the other, the breeze around them started to pick up, and then they were flying.   
Patton laughed as they soared through the room, his eyes closed and they were crinkled at the corners, his blue curls bouncing lightly as his head bobbed giggling. Roman couldn't think of anything else happening as he was held close and secure and happy.  
Several weeks had passed, performances came and went, the circus had certainly grown more of a homely feel to Roman as time went on, but that all changed in an instant one evening.  
Logan had been checking things over in the circus building, making sure everything was in its respective place, when a small group of younger gentleman sounded like they were fighting.  
"Excuse me, you shouldn't be doing that here."  
Patton said to one of them a bit meek.  
"Why do you care?"  
The young man sneered, blowing smoke towards Patton's face, and his friends laughed.  
"You're perfectly capable of doing it outside like anyone else would."  
He replied while waving a hand in front of him.  
The boy and his friends all had a look of disgust at that. The one who started the confrontation tossed his cigarette to the side, stomping it out, and walked directly toward Patton.  
"You're a blue haired freak, you're just like the rest of them, I don't know why people bother to come here."  
He lunged forward, intending to punch Patton, but the other veered away on time, and he hit a wooden shelf, and while cursing, the other boys chased him through the building.  
What no one had realized, when the shelf was hit, a lantern had been knocked over and broken, and the fire was now starting to build up the wall.  
Patton had hidden somewhere on the other side of the circus, he was still hiding when he heard Logan yelling at the boys, who finally gave up and were leaving. Someone cursed in the distance, then yelled, then there was the strong scent of smoke. It had been about five minutes since the ordeal had begun and most of the first level of the building was now in flames. Logan had managed to get the boys out of there and he himself out without harm or with very little.  
As Logan watched the damage be done to his livelihood, Roman came running.  
"What happened? Who did this? Where's Patton?"  
He said in a breathless jumble.  
Logan suddenly realized who the young men had been after, and that they were still inside.  
Roman's eyes went wide, and he disregarded anything about himself in that moment, he had to make sure the boy was safe, so he ran into the burning circus.  
Everything was a blinding array of brown and orange tones immediately.  
"Patton!"  
It hurt to scream, it hurt to breathe, but it had to be done.  
"Patton!"  
Roman called again, he listened beyond the crackle of flames for an answer, and he finally found one.  
"Patton, I'm coming, I'm here!"  
His source of reason for calling out finally came into vision, beyond the array of tones in the burning light and soot, he could still see some freckles on the boy's face.  
"Patton, I'm here, you're safe, I've got you now, you're alright."  
He held onto his shoulders and led him towards the exit, he was shaking and covered in soot and his clothes were slightly torn from the falling embers. He could make out the silhouette of someone mere feet from the exit, and he pushed Patton to them, before he passed out from exhaustion, as debris from the building fell around him.  
Roman wasn't sure when, but he woke up in an unfamiliar place, it was mostly tones of grey and white. He tried to sit up, but didn't make it far before wincing in pain from his chest. He heard someone come quickly to his aid.  
"Careful, Roman, they said you hurt your ribs when you fell and you inhaled a lot of smoke."  
It was Patton.  
"What happened?"  
"Somebody knocked over a lantern, and the circus caught on fire, you saved me."  
Roman was a bit in awe at everything and became, understandably, emotional. Patton leaned over and gently hugged him, and they both let their emotions go for a bit, processing everything together.  
"How's Logan?"  
Roman finally asked.  
"He's going through quite a lot honestly, we all are, but we'll get through it."  
Both men were silent for a minute, then Patton asked something.   
"Mr. Carlyle, may I kiss you?"  
Slightly shocked, Roman didn't respond.  
"I'm sorry, only if you want to, I didn't--"  
And Roman kissed him. Hard, but slow and gentle, and for what felt like a lifetime. They finally broke apart and Roman looked at Patton's sparking eyes and bouncing curls and sweet smile.  
"We're gonna be okay, we can get through this, together."


End file.
